Sharing the Love

The same weekend as Grant's eagle happened to also be Brenna's birthday.  It actually worked out well because Grandma and Grandpa McArthur were able to come and be here for it all!  Brenna chose to have a movie party this year with friends.  It was lovely-minus the epic nervous breakdown Harrison had during the the show due to the seating arrangements not being as he insisted.

Lego Movie came out just in time to take a little crew of friends.

Brenna invited Madison, Lilly, Kate, Kinley, Brinsley, Keira, Natalie and Audrey.   The movie was funny and indeed the Catchy Song was stuck in our heads for months. 

 Brenna is lucky to have a friends that can appreciate her exuberance-few can match it and few can handle it, so we are grateful for these buddies!

We got a kick out of the gift Kate gave her-she made wrapping paper out of a huge strip of butcher paper and she also typed up a poem for Brenna...

She knows her well, down to her fear of creepy dolls-those ventriloquist dummies may haunt her dreams forever.

The Sunday of Brenna's #9, Grant was ordained a teacher.  It was a jam packed day-we had the bishop over to do the ordination, because it was stake conference.  We started baking the drumstick dinner and sure enough, we set of the fire alarm, just as I warned would happen. But, no fire was started and we enjoyed the chicken as well as the chocolate strawberries and everything else she chose.

Brenna has a love for life and and intensity that does not quit.  She can out play/outlast/out talk nearly anyone and she is a gifted dancer.  

 We love having her in our family and learn a lot from her!  

 She has been asking for ages when she will get to have her room decorated, and it was finally her year!  Our neighbor extraordinaire Taryn, helped me decorate and paint and pick everything out.  

We painted one full day a week or so before her birthday and  rearranged the furniture, but we kept all the decorations as a birthday surprise.  She was definitely a happy gal!

Every person that came in would be asked to take a tour of her new room.  It did turn out really cute!

Harrison was happy because he inherited her old desk and now he has a station to display every football helmet 

and work on coloring pages from every professional sports league.

Her room was her big gift, but she still had to lay out and display every birthday item-small and large.  

Brenna girl is quite the organizer and very orderly.  We definitely appreciate that about her!

It will be so interesting and exciting to see where this girl goes in life.  This piece of art seemed fitting for her..

Of course, we have to give a small shout out to the day of love, the day Dave and I met, the day we almost had Brenna-Valentines Day.  We had our annual fancy dinner and school parties.  The last few years a boy name Bryson has asked Katelee to be his Valentine, this year someone beat him to the punch. When Jono asked her this go around, she said, "Sure"  She has had to tell someone she didn't like them 'like that' but that she liked Takkies (the spicy hot gross snack kids are eating these days).  She is totally trying to work the system.

Brenna took love into her own hands and asked Braxton to be her Valentine and Harrison made the best card in the history of cards to his 'girlfriend' Aria.

He wanted to make her a card and remembered that Charlie Brown had a pretty sweet poem he wrote to the Little Red Haired Girl, so Harrison copied it!  He prob didn't give credit to Charlie Brown when he was wooing Aria, but now we have that cleared up!  

 Katelee and I got to spend the evening together seeing Wicked.  

 I didn't want her to know the whole story so that she could be surprised with the conclusion of the production. She loved it.  I'm a clever little witch like that.  

Harrison continues to spout NFL statistics and color all helmets.  At our farewell family dinner for Blake and fam, he had some good conversations about the glory days of the NFL.  We will definitely miss Blake and his family, but are happy for them with their new adventure...and excited to have somewhere awesome to visit!!